STUDIO

1998–2001: The Inception Phase
Four partners launched the company during a new economic upswing. The office was established and the first projects got underway. Collaborations with artists, broad discussions about landscape architecture, and a desire to create something different characterized the period.
2002–2005: Focus on Competitions and Teaching
An economic downturn led to more architectural competitions, often in international contexts and in collaboration with other offices. We also began teaching at KTH and deliberated on how to structure our operations moving forward. At the end of the period, one of the founders left the company.
2005–2008: Urban Development and “urbanatur”
We deepened our interests in urban development and formulated the concept of “urbanatur” – a new way of seeing nature as part of the city. We continued to work cooperatively, developed methods for project planning (Rythm), and maintained a series of collaborations, until yet another of the founders left towards the end of the period.
2008–2013: Project Planning and the Coffice Initiative
A new economic downturn coincided with an intensive project planning period. At the same time, we ran Coffice – a meeting place and work model for building bridges between different professional groups. We worked on everything from larger urban development projects to smaller designs, culminating in a series of completed projects.
From 2013 Onwards: New Constellations
The joint group office was dissolved, and the employees moved on into new constellations and projects. Several ideas live on; some projects come to an end while others continue in new forms. The legacy of NOD Combine lies in the conviction to collaborate across boundaries, think in landscape terms, and constantly dare to explore new ways of working – a driving force that continues to shape the people and contexts involved in NOD Combine.

APPROACH

NOD Combine is shaped by a passion for landscape thinking, urban development, and landscape architecture. We have always worked in a broad and exploratory way, which has led us to collaborate with artists, architects, and other creative disciplines. At the core are:

The Group Office and Processes
We recognized early on the value of working together in networks and groups, rather than solely as a traditional firm. It became a platform for co-creation and innovative ideas.

The Manual and Mottos
We formulated our own principles for how we work and our approach to design:

“The Dragon and the Princess” – An image of the tension between different perspectives that meet and create something new.
“How You Think Determines What You Think” – Our way of reminding that underlying values and attitudes always shape the outcome.
“Simple Surface, Complex Content” – A belief that clarity in form can encompass multifaceted experiences and solutions.

Self-Initiated Projects
We often took our own initiatives to develop ideas, places, and collaborations – all in order to test new methods and explore uncharted territories.

Collaboration and Co-Creation
Working in open processes and constellations, both internally and externally, has been central to how we think and create.